Found in West Prussia, Germany, Mathis is a Mennonite family name of Dutch descent. In the Danzig-Neugarten congregation (Frisian) the name is found at least as early as 1680. Members of the family were especially found in the Heubuden congregation. Jakob Mathis was a preacher of the Heubuden Old Flemish congregation from 1745 until 1762, and Peter Mathies served in that same capacity from 1757 until 1765. In 1796 and following years some of them moved from West Prussia to Russia and later to North America.